Casper Police Arrest Two For Meth, Child Endangerment

Two Casper residents were arrested Tuesday after a positive drug test allegedly led police to find over 30 syringes and other meth paraphernalia in a home where two children were staying.

Lisa A. Asire, 53, was booked into jail on charges of meth possession and two counts of child endangerment by methamphetamine, as well as a probation revocation.

Bessie Mashell Sotelo, 39, was arrested on two recommended charges of child endangerment by meth.

Charging papers say a Casper police officer was sent to a home on Riverbend shortly after 10:45 a.m. Tuesday in order to assist Asire's probation agent, after Asire allegedly tested positive for meth.

The officer had been at the home on Monday night for a welfare check. The officer had contacted Asire, Sotelo and two children at that time, and Asire did not appear to be under the influence of drugs, nor was paraphernalia found in plain view.

So, on Tuesday, the officer arrived and found the two children, as well as Asire and Sotelo, who was also known by the last names of Skorupski and Hyder.

Sotelo reportedly said she and her two children had recently moved into the home, and Sotelo was unaware that Asire was using meth until she heard that Asire tested positive for it.

Sotelo said she had not been using meth, and immediately agreed to have her room searched and to submit a urine sample for testing by the Wyoming Department of Family Services.

Asire was adamant that she had not used any drugs in the recent past, court documents say, and had no idea how she tested positive for meth. After further discussion, Asire allegedly admitted to having snorted a line of meth on Friday at a friend's residence.

Asire maintained that there "should" have been no drugs in the residence, according to the affidavit.

Police say a search of the home revealed "numerous" syringes throughout -- roughy 30 used syringes in total, with most of them apparently containing small amounts of blood. Most still had the needles attached and were uncapped.

A syringe found in the top drawer of the nightstand next to the couch -- where Asire said she had been sleeping -- tested presumptively positive for meth on site.

A red sharps container filled with about 20 syringes was found in a large plastic container in the laundry room, according to the affidavit. Inside the closed under the stairs were several uncapped syringes as well as a small Altoids tin that had a small spoon and white, powdery substance inside.

The laundry room and closet were within roughly 15 feet of the basement bedroom where Sotelo and the two children were staying. Nothing of evidentiary value was found in Sotelo's room.

A DFS agent responded to the scene and took protective custody of the two children. Sotelo submitted to a urine test, which reportedly returned a positive result for meth, though Sotelo was adamant that she had not used.

Sotelo reportedly admitted to seeing the red sharps container and loose syringes scattered throughout the residence. She said she should have gotten rid of them or called law enforcement.

Asire maintained that she had no knowledge of the syringes and positive drug tests. She reportedly blamed friends who had been at the home previously.

Asire later complained of chest pain, so she was taken to Wyoming Medical Center via ambulance. Sotelo was arrested and taken to jail.

Police say Asire was medically cleared at the hospital and was booked into jail.

Both Asire and Sotelo have previous drug convictions. Sotelo was convicted in 2013 for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, while Asire had several previous charges, but just one conviction for possession with intent to deliver in 2006.